Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekringabonze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekringabronze’, characterized by its single-type inflorescences with ovate-shaped, bronze-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 37 days after the start of photoinductive treatments; and good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance for about three weeks in an interior environment.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar Denomination: ‘DEKRINGABRONZE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekringabronze’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new single-type Chrysanthemum cultivars with unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Sep. 22, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7371.01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7355.03, not patented. The cultivar new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Apr. 12, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since May 1, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Dekringabronze have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekringabronze’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekringabronze’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Single-type inflorescences with ovate-shaped bronze-colored         ray florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 37         days after the start of photoinductive treatments.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about three weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller leaves and         inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray florets coloration as a plants of the         female parent selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are not as vigorous as plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are not as freely flowering         as plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower later than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent         selection have yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Dektanga Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,903. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely branching         and more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Dektanga         Pink.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger         than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered earlier than plants         of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Dektanga         Pink differed in ray florets coloration as plants of the         cultivar Dektanga Pink had light purple-colored ray florets.     -   5. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had longer peduncles than         plants of the cultivar Dektanga Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekringabronze’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Dekringabronze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long nights treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about seven kilolux. Plants were about eight weeks from plants when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar     Dekringabronze. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             03.7371.01, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             03.7355.03, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About six to seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 13 to 15 days at             20° C.         -   Root description/habit.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color;             freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous single-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             65 cm. Spray diameter: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm to 6 mm. Number of lateral branches: About nine to             eleven. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Texture:             Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B to             146C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 5.5 cm to 8.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 4 cm. Apex:             Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses             divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,             slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 146A to 146B.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, 146B. Petiole: Length: About 7 mm to             12 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single-type inflorescence form with ovate-shaped             ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arising from             leaf axils. Ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum. Inflorescences slightly fragrant.         -   Flower response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower in             the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times             of the year, inflorescence initiation and development can be             induced under short day/long night conditions (at least 13.5             hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering response;             plants exposed to two weeks of long day/short night             conditions after planting followed by photoinductive short             day/long night conditions flower about 37 days later when             grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about three weeks.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—When grown as a spray type,             freely flowering habit, about seven to nine inflorescences             per flowering stem develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 7 mm to 9 mm. Receptacle             height: About 2.5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 145B to 145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Oblate. Height: About 2 mm to             3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 9 mm to 14 mm. Width: About 5 mm             to 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Angle: Initially upright to about 45°             from vertical. Apex: Tridentate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 15 to             20 arranged in about two whorls. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 7A overlain with close to 53A. When             opening, lower surface: close to 6C underlain with close to             53A. Fully opened, upper surface: close to 7A overlain with             close to 53A; color becoming closer to 7C overlain with             close to 53A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 7D underlain with close to 53A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex: Acute.             Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm.             Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 150 Color:             Immature: Apex: Close to 154A. Mid-section and base: Close             to 145C. Mature: Apex: Close to 6A. Mid-section and base:             Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 6 mm to 7 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 4 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; slightly rough. Number of             involucral bracts per inflorescence: About 18 arranged in             about two whorls. Color, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Color, lower surface: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, first peduncle: About 5 cm to 6 cm.             Length, fourth peduncle: About 6 cm to 6.5 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Close to 154D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekringabronze’ as illustrated and described. 